Overview:Students act as colleagues of Isaac Newton. Students focus on how to design a procedure to test Newton's hypothesis and then communicate that idea to others. The emphasis is on the process rather than the actual results.

Author/Source:Tung, Cecilia

Grade:9-12

Discipline:Physical Sciences

Time:One to two class periods

Teaching tips:This is a lab activity that is usually given to students with a predetermined procedure that they follow. In this version of the lesson, students must come up with their own procedures to verify Newton’s 2nd Law. As the emphasis here is on the process of science rather than the actual results, some students may not see this as "real" science. It is in fact a huge part of the scientific process carried on by real researchers. It is important for students to realize how much time can and should go into designing a good procedure.